‘Little House on the Prairie’ Reboot Adds Hallmark Hunk to Cast

When Netflix launches its reboot of the classic series “Little House on the Prairie,” Hallmark fans will see a familiar face — but it won’t be new “When Calls The Heart” cast member Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder on the original series.

Rather, Hallmark star Warren Christie has joined the reboot’s cast, Deadline first reported on May 27, 2025. The actor, who just wrapped his second Hallmark movie in a row with Nikki DeLoach, will play a character familiar to fans of the original show, based on the 1930s book series about pioneer life, written by the real-life Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Warren Christie Will Play ‘Gregarious & Mysterious’ John Edwards in ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Reboot

Hallmark

In the new series, Christie has been cast as John Edwards, a Tennessee Civil War veteran known as Dr. Edwards in the “Little House” books. According to Deadline, Edwards is “a gregarious and mysterious man who catches the eye of every single woman in the county (maybe some of the married ones, too).”

The character also appeared in the original NBC series, which aired from 1974 to 1983, but was named Isaiah Edwards and played by Victor French, per Deadline.

In 2024, as the original series marked its 50th anniversary, Nielsen honored “Little House on the Prairie” with the ARTEY Legacy Award for continuing to draw a huge audience. Nielsen said streamers watched 13.25 billion minutes of the show via Peacock in 2024 alone.

Like the original, Netflix has said the new series will be “part family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West. The series will offer a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.” The series is scheduled to film from June through October in Winnipeg, according to CTV News.

Warren Christie Recently Hinted at Wanting to Film a ‘Western Style Show’

In an Instagram interview with Castleberry Casting on May 13, Christie may have teased his upcoming role in a “Western style show” while discussing his future goals.

“My goals have certainly changed,” he wrote. “It’s not really about ‘getting somewhere’ anymore.  It’s about working with good people, having fun and telling different, varied stories with interesting characters.  Specifically tho…I’d love to do some kind of a Western style show. Call it the Yellowstone effect. :)”

Christie, who will star with DeLoach this fall in the Hallmark movie “Home Turf” after co-starring with her in 2024’s “Our Holiday Story,” also told Castleberry Casting, “Honestly, if you’d told me in high school that I was gonna have a 20+ year career in the entertainment industry I’d have said you were crazy. Feel incredibly blessed.”